Keth solves one mystery
Daniel’s tail wagged as if on it’s own accord, not with the steady flailings one might expect of a dog but rather the careful, random flicks of a feline at full attention. The base shifting only the slightest bit while the tip end of that tail curls around in rapid, short flicks. Angel latched onto tightly, her legs dangled behind and one of her sandals fell off at a particularly forceful shake. All smiles and excitement this was rather obviously a thrill ride more so than a terror, even when fifteen feet off the ground and wrestling what amounts to a fuzzy python.
The pickup truck ahead was dark blue shade with wide and thick wheels, Daniel could only snort at the caked mud that has long since dried onto the underside. None of the three travelers seemed the slightest bit concerned about the stain, this was fairly deep into a secluded forest. The drops on top seemed a bit more concerning, as directly under a tree seems a terrible place to park one’s car when birds are fluttering about. There only seemed to be two seats and … wait, no. The sphinx could tell there was a bit of space behind the front chairs for someone to sit, the bed of the truck currently empty so long as you are willing to discount twigs and leaves.
“Finally” Daniel muttered under her breath, lowering the tail down to ground level and allowing Angel’s feet to touch dirt. It took him a beat or three to realize it though.
“Ahieght, kids. If’n ya don’t mind settlin down lets unload the pack animal an load it all up in them there truck.” The thick drawling accent an unmistakable voice.
“She’s not an animal Dad, stop joking about that.” Angel was quick to defend, sliding off the tail like it was a pole and reluctantly walking forward.
“As she appears to be a yet undiscovered and unclassified species I believe Angel is correct in that without proper taxonical classification we cannot conclusively state which kingdom the woman belongs to.” Keth agrees, earning a roll of the eyes from Charley and a grumble in frustration from Daniel.
“Not-A-girl.” She says hurriedly. “But guys! Finally! I said finally! I can talk again, ahaha! No more riddles!” The sphinx started to Beam down, looking at all three one after another.
“You mean you couldn’t talk before?” Angel tilts her head, glancing up and down the pack. “Oh please lay down for me, it’s hard to actually … reach … up … here.” The woman had skirted under Daniel’s wings and was placing her hands, her face, her chest across the lion’s flank. Bumping into well tied bags and hopping up to grab at the ropes.
With a loud sigh the lioness swivels her tail won beside her legs, lightly shoves at Angel to brush her aside, and flops down directly onto her belly. Hind legs beneath her and the front legs held out in front, chin held high and the wings stretched out wide to provide a better vantage to grab from.
“Of course I couldn’t. Don’t act like none of you figured that out!” Daniel’s voice was laced with annoyance. “It was exactly like I said I camp with the last guy I talked to, every time I start to say something it just comes out as a stupid riddle.”
“Thanks big girl.” Angel immediately set to work unclipping large bags and walking a short ways to the truck, dumping things in only to dash her way back. “Does it also work when writing? Can’t you just spell out what you’re trying to say?”
“Not a girl.” The sphinx mutters. “And I don’t know! Its worth a shot I guess but this is literally my first day having claws and wings.”
“Ya don look like yer havin all that much trouble fer someone who claims dey got a new body. Seem mighty fluid if’n ya ask me.” Charley took the left side while Angel had the right, each walking smoothly to gather and load supplies. For her part it felt a bit weird having tiny little tickly things running fingers through her fur and pulling on ropes to strip things off of her. At the same time she hardly noticed a difference in the weight, these bags were lighter than clothing on her exceedingly muscular form.
“The last guy you talked to.” Keth calls out with concern, leaning his shoulders against the side of the truck and just watching everyone else work. “Where was the last guy? What was he doing?”
Daniel shrugs, eliciting a brief cry of alarm from those by her shoulders. “On this nearby road I guess, I um … flagged him down from his car.”
“So the man was driving?” Keth pushes.
“Yeah, that’s right.”
“Well clearly it isn’t the car seeing as you only started talking when we got to ours. But maybe the riddles have nothing to do with what you’re doing or where you are, what if it’s determined entirely by the people you’re talking to?” Keth suggested.
“Okay are you going to sit there and talk or are you going to actually help …” angel grumbled between lugging three different bags over to the bed of the car.
Keth turned up his nose. “I’m going to talk and help, duh. Miss Daniel-”
“Not a girl, not married.”
“Daniel, I theorize that just like the monsters of legend who tell riddles to travelers in exchange for uncontested passage, if you meet with someone who is going somewhere then you’re forced to give out riddles. Yet when you come up to them, the same way we were sitting perfectly still and you approached out camp, we weren’t the travelers. You were.”
“I’ve been walking with you the entire time!” Daniel burst out, watching as the last of the luggage was stored away and her back was now entirely empty. “If it’s really as simple as only talk to stationary people then that means I’ll be a comic book villain spouting more dumb riddles all the way to this lake you’re after.”
At that, Angel Brightened. Glancing back and forth from Charley and Keth.
“Only one way to find out.”
Written by Arbon on 09 September 2016